Natalie has been writing professionally for about 6 years. After graduating from Ithaca College with a degree in Feature Writing, she snagged a job at PCMag.com where she had the opportunity to review all the latest consumer gadgets. Since then she has become a writer for hire, freelancing for various websites. In her spare time, you may find her riding her motorcycle, reading YA novels, hiking, or playing video games. Follow her on Twitter: @nat_schumaker

25 August, 2016

The Pokemon Go craze is finally reaching an equilibrium. The game had a stellar run while it lasted, but over the last few weeks Pokemon Go has seen a steady drop-off in daily active users (DAUs).

As of August 18th, Axiom Capital Management reports the app had a little over 30 million DAUs, down significantly from its July 19th peak of slightly under 45 million DAUs. At one point, this app had overtaken Twitter in the United States, but the popular game seems to be settling after the summer hype.

This decline was predicted by many media outlets.

Craig Chapple, editor of mobile games trade publication PocketGamer.Biz, is one of many game journalists who saw the inevitable fall. "It's rare for games to explode in popularity like Pokemon Go has, but a drop in users was always expected after a big launch," he told the BBC.

It should be noted, however, that Pokemon Go still sits on the list of top grossing games within iOS and Android app stores. But Chapple warns the drop-off could continue.

"Pokemon Go is unique,” he told the BBC. “At the moment it relies on people in your local area playing with you, not someone on the other side of the world. If the numbers continued to drop so dramatically, who will be left to play you in your small, local town?"

Because of this unique aspect of the game, Niantic may see its greatest losses among smaller communities.

Since day one, those who live in smaller towns have voiced their frustrations that the game has somehow left them behind. Rural areas are Poke-deserts with no PokeStops or Gyms for gamers to congregate. It has barred many people from feeling that crucial social aspect of the game. This issue is where the game may be seeing its most dramatic drop-offs begin. Pokemon Go may remain more of an urbanite’s game until Niantic is able to find a balance.

Niantic may be able to bring players back when it adds new features, like trading and hunt for Legendary Pokemon, but it's difficult to say if these will be enough to lure users in more remote locations back.